PERSONALLY LIABLE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19988, 13 July 1939, Page 7

PERSONALLY LIABLE

HOSPITAL OUTPATIENTS iv v.T. . \ NOT COVERED BY SCHEME A person has to be “under the blankets” to qualify for the social security payment of fees while he is in hospital; outpatients still have to pay for themselves. Some persons have claimed that social securiey covers out-patients, but this is not the case, according to Mr. J. B. I. Cook, secretary of the Wellington Hospital Board. • Every patient in hospital is not there at the State’s expense. Classes •who are not include seamen on English and Australian articles whose fees, under the Shipping and Seamen’s Act, are principally the responsibility Of their employers. Seamen on foreign articles also do not participate under social security. All public hospitals in port towns and cities have a fair number of seamen patients. Tourists and others not ordinarily resident in New Zealand also have to meet their own hospital fees. In the case of persons injured under circumstances covered by the motorvehicles third party risk and workers’ compensation legislation the State does not pay their hospital fees under social security until it is finally proven that there is no chance of their recovering damages. Where other boards send patients for specialist treatment the hospital receives the 6s a day fee from social security, but claims another 3s from the board sending the patient.